Some Brief FAQs about Rock
Presbyterian Church
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Rock Presbyterian is a Parish of the
Evangelical Presbyterian Church and a
member of the Presbytery of the Mid-Atlantic.
The EPC is a conservative split from the former, United Presbyterian Church
(USA) in 1981. The motto of the EPC is "In essentials, unity, in
non-essentials, liberty, in all things, charity." This is the essence of
our denomination and we believe it; there are just some things not worth
fighting about. However, the EPC does maintain its convictions as a church
reformed in doctrine, Presbyterian in polity and evangelical in spirit-- we do
believe whole heartily in missions and the giving of the Good News of Jesus
Christ to all people, beginning with Post-Christian America and to all the
world. |
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What is the worship schedule
and what is the service like? |
What are the church's education and fellowship opportunities for the family? |
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Our Sunday morning
worship is traditional, reformed worship; our liturgy is based upon the
Presbyterian reforms of the Anglican prayerbook (1689) and is similar to the
Presbyterian (USA) Book of Common Worship. The order of service
is printed in the bulletin. The services begin with the sounding of the
bells at 11:00 AM and typically last no more than an hour.
Occasionally, we have a Sunday evening Vespers service (see below) and
Holy Communion once a month. Please dress as you feel comfortable.
As an aid to
our worship experience, we observe the Christian Calendar as a means of
reflection on the Life of Christ and the life of discipleship.
We also use the Revised Common Lectionary for the morning lessons. Rock Church uses the
Presbyterian Hymnbook (1955) for our worship.
See our worship page
for more details.
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Sunday School begins at 10:00 on
Sunday Mornings. We have men's meeting the first Thursday of the month
at 6:30 ("Men of Rock") and two Women's circles that also meet the first
Thursday of the month. Also, we offer
Communicants class for ages 5-9 and Confirmation classes (ages 13+) for
those desiring to profess their faith and become voting members of the
church.
Please see our
Ministry Page for greater details.
We also like
to eat! We have occasional breakfasts and we meet to celebrate a
St. Valentine's Day dinner and St. Patrick's day (with traditional
corned beef and cabbage!). Also, we celebrate Shrove Tuesday (Mardis
Gras) before Ash Wednesday; equally, we have a Easter Vigil breakfast, Back to
School Bash, Fall Fling, Reformation Sunday party, Thanksgiving and
Christmas Lunches. |
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What does Rock Presbyterian Church
believe?? |
What is Rock Presbyterian's practice
regarding baptism? |
| As a conservative Church, we believe the Bible to be the only infallible and inerrant source of authority in all matters of faith, godliness, facts and truth. Our church confesses the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed and subscribes to the
Westminster Confession of Faith
(1903) and Catechisms as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Bible. Equally, Rock Church affirms the
"Essentials" statement by the Evangelical Presbyterian Church as a summary statement of Confessional and Evangelical doctrine. |
We practice
adult baptisms upon their profession of faith. Equally, we believe
that the children of believing adults should be baptized. Rock church
normally practices "sprinkling" but we will try to accommodate the needs
of those being baptized.
Please call the church office
(864.229.4222) if you are interested in scheduling a baptism.
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Are children allowed during the worship service?
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How does one join Rock Presbyterian Church?
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We welcome
children to the worship service so that they may observe their
parents and model their worship; there is a nursery available for those
children in infancy to 4 years-old.
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Individuals and families may transfer by letter, or by profession of
faith. Upon reception into Rock Church, if one has not been baptized,
this normally takes place in the following worship service. You
may download the church
membership form here. |
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How often does the church celebrate the Eucharist (Communion) and who may participate? |
What version of the Bible do you use
for preaching and teaching? |
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We observe the Lord's Supper the first Sunday of the Month and every
Thursday at 5:30pm. All baptized Christians are welcome to the Lord's
Table (commonly called "Close Communion"). Rock Church leaves the
responsibility of children coming to the table to the heads of household
(you may download our parents guide to our "Children and the Lord’s Table") |
We use the English Standard Version, as an essentially
literal translation. The ESV is a recent, fresh translation in the translation tradition
of the Revised Standard Version and the King James Version. |
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What is the significance of the
Minister's dress on the Lord's day? |
What is
"Vespers" and what is a "Vespers" service? |
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The Reformed movement, based upon John Calvin’s lead,
preferred the simple dress of the academic gown to identify the Teaching
Elder. Many in the Reformed tradition,
wear the traditional Scottish "habit": the cassock (the parish "house-coat") underneath the
academic gown,
academic hood, tippet (black preaching scarf) and preaching
bands (two white strips of cloth on the collar, symbolizing the Law and the
Gospel)-- this is typical dress for ministers
at Rock Presbyterian Church. In addition, many Reformed ministers use the
preaching stole (identifying ordination) instead of a tippet. |
Vespers
is part of the regular prayer cycle called the “Liturgy of the Hours”,
or “Divine Office,” providing ordered prayer throughout
the day. "The
Hours" is part of a larger collection called the Breviary,
which provides the liturgy for praying morning (“Matins”), noon, early eve (“Vespers” or “Evensong”)
and bedtime prayer (“Compline”). Calvin held regular daily morning and evening
prayers in Geneva and John Knox continued the practice in Presbyterian
Scotland. During special seasons of the year, we have
occasional Vespers services, usually at 7 PM. |
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St. Ninian
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Martin Luther
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Patrick Hamilton
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John Calvin
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John Knox
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What is a "Presbyterian" Church?
St. Ninian brought Christianity to Scotland in the 4th century; Patrick Hamilton,
a martyr, worked to make Scotland Protestant in the 16th centuryd. During the Reformation, in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, John Calvin formulated reformed theology and the Presbyterian form of church government.
In 1560, John Knox, a student of Calvin, adapted Presbyterianism for the Kirk (Church) of Scotland. "Presbyterian" churches are governed
by the Session, which is composed of presbuteroi (elders): a teaching elder (pastor) and ruling elders, elected
by the congregation. The scriptural titles "pastor/ shepherd, teacher, bishop/ overseer, presbyter/ elder" simply denote different functions of the same
office (See Acts 20). Equally, the church is served by elected deacons.
Presbyterian churches are part of regional presbyteries composed of
teaching and ruling elders of local parishes in the presbytery. Presbyterian churches confess the Westminster Confession of Faith
and catechisms by Scottish Presbyterians, English Independents and Puritans as the system of doctrine given in the Bible. The WCF emphasizes God's absolute sovereignty over all things; Humanity's total depravity in sin; a person's unconditional election by God; Christ's substitutionary death for His people; God's irresistible grace in salvation and the final perseverance of God's elect people to
the end of history.
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What is a "Reformed" Church?
Beginning with Martin Luther October 31, 1517 in Germany, and later by John Calvin, the Reformation began as a reforming movement within the Roman Catholic church and emphasized:
sola scriptura: Holy Scripture alone is the infallible standard of truth in all things.
sola gratia:
human salvation is only by God’s gracious
choice, unearned by human actions, will or merit.
sola fide: the
sole instrument of salvation is faith.
solus christus:
Christ, fully God and fully man is the only sufficient mediator between God and man.
soli deo gloria:
all things exist for the glory of God alone.
Protestant churches differed over church government, the nature of the Lord's Supper, and the nature, mode and administration of baptism.
All churches historically descendent from the Roman Catholic Church initially affirmed the above five principles for what we consider "Protestantism," and it must be remembered that the Reformers intent was not to split from the Mother Church, but to reform it from perceived un-Scriptural teachings.
Hence, all historically Protestant churches consider themselves to be
part of the "one, holy, catholic and apostolic church", as the Nicene Creed
confesses. In essence, we consider ourselves to be "Reformed Catholics." | |
